


Family of the Year

by Liza1031



Series: K-S-H-C One-Shots (glee) [63]
Category: Glee RPF
Genre: Anxiety, College, Emotional, Husbands, Light Angst, Love, M/M, Marriage, Parents!Crisscolfer, Sad, Teen fic, crisscolfer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28177986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liza1031/pseuds/Liza1031
Summary: Chris and Darren have an emotional time before their daughter leaves for college.
Relationships: Chris Colfer/Darren Criss
Series: K-S-H-C One-Shots (glee) [63]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059374





	Family of the Year

The day that Chris has been dreading was too close for comfort. How is it possible his first born is already going to college? She was just a tiny little peanut inside his belly and now she’s heading into pre-med at UC Berkeley. Where has the time gone?

Eighteen year old, Elliette Criss, was more than excited to start this new chapter of her life and work her way towards becoming a Pediatric Surgeon. It’s always been her dream to help kids and be in medicine so she was ready to conquer this next step. Her parents, however, are sad to see her go but know this will be good for her to get out in the world and make something of herself, other than being known for her parents’ fame.

Chris and Darren have three kids together, their daughter, Elliette, and their two sons Carter and Landon who are 14 and 12. Both of which don’t really care that their sister is leaving because that means she won’t be around to boss them, but their parents know the boys are going to miss her. Elliette and her brothers have a close relationship so it’ll be different without her around the house for a while.

The whole year, Chris has been dreading the moment he and his husband sent their daughter off to college. He’s having such a hard time letting go. He made sure this summer he made time to spend with all of his kids but mostly with Ellie because this was really the only time he has left with her until she’s gone at school and will probably have a job again. He wants her to do great things and doesn’t want to hold her back but it’s his baby, he can’t believe it’s already time to let her go.

It’s the night before she leaves, everything she was taking with her was already packed in Darren’s blacked out Tahoe. Her room looked empty, other than the few things she was keeping her for when she visits or has semester break.

Elliette wasn’t too sad to be leaving, sure she was going to miss her parents but she knows she’ll be okay. It’s not like they’re abandoning her or anything, this is what she wanted and she wasn’t gonna let her fears get the best of her to prevent her from not going.

While Ellie was in her room, Chris and Darren decided to pop in before they went to bed.

“Knock, knock.” Chris says and pushes open her door. “Can we come in?” He asks.

“Of course.” She smiles and watches her parents enter her room, noticing that Chris had something in his hands, something wrapped. Perhaps another going away present?

Elliette sits up on her bed while her parents come over and sit next to her with small smiles on their faces.

“So you’re all packed and ready for tomorrow?” Chris asks.

“Yep. Everything’s in daddy’s truck.”

“Wow.” He sighs looking around her room, taking in the almost emptiness of what used to be his little girl’s sanctuary. “It looks so different in here.”

“Yeah.”

Chris pressed his lips together and kept himself from crying like a baby because he didn’t want his daughter to know that he was sad.  
“What’s that?” Ellie asks, pointing to the wrapped gift in his hands.

“Oh this is for you, from me. But before you open it, daddy and I want you to know that we’re so proud of you and we know that you’re going to do amazing at school. So this is just something I think you’ll like to have.”

Chris hands her to package and looks at his husband with a sad smile on his face. He starts to tear up watching his daughter unwrap it, knowing she has no idea what to expect.

Once Elliette has the paper off she gasps as she holds Chris’ new book in her hand and opens the front cover. She gets to the second page and as she reads what’s there, tears fill in her eyes.

“Y-You dedicated your book to me?” She asks, tears slowly cascading down her cheek. “Mom.”

Chris feels his husband wrap his arm around him and rub his shoulder, comfortingly. “I dedicated this book to the person who inspires me everyday with that smile. Elliette you’ve impacted my life so much and I wanted you and everyone to know what you mean to me...to us.” Chris grabs her hand and rubs his thumb along her knuckles. “Life’s an adventure honey. You have to go out and explore it! Take some risks! Get into trouble! Just make sure to always be yourself because that’s best you can be and no one can ever take that away from you.”

“Oh mom.” Elliette whimpers and wraps her arms around Chris, crying into his shirt. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, baby.” He tells her and strokes her hair as they cry together on her bed.

Darren watched the tearful exchange between his husband and daughter and knew this was going to be hard for Chris to let her go. He rubs his husband’s back while the two hugged and cried it out. He held it together though, someone needed to be the strong one. But deep down, Darren wasn’t ready to let his little girl go out into the real world. It’s scary out there. He wants her to stay safe and sound with them in Los Angeles.

Afterwards, they say goodnight to their daughter then tell their boys it’s lights out, then make their way down to the living room.

They settle on the couch with some wine. They kept the room dim and Chris was laying in between his husband’s legs looking out at the view of the city they had from their picture window.

He stays quiet while he sips his wine every few minutes, thinking about his daughter growing up from when she was just a baby, saying her first word.

_“Say ma-ma.” Chris mouths to her. “Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma.”_

_“Mmmmm” Elliette tried. She was so close._

_“You got it baby girl. Ma-ma. Ma-ma.” He tells her._

_“Mmmmmaaaa”_

_“Oh my god! Darren get in here! She’s about to say her first word!” Chris shouts._

_Darren came running from his office and saw Chris standing in front of Elliette’s highchair where she sat trying to speak._

_“Say ma-ma. Show daddy, baby girl.”_

_“Mmmmmmaaaammmmaaaa.”_

_“Oh my god! She did it! She said her first word!” Chris cheered and Elliette smiled and clapped as her parents’ celebrated one of her many milestones. “You said mama, sweet girl. Can you say da-da? Hmm? Can you try da-da?” He asks her, as he pulls her out from her highchair. “Say da-da.”_

_“Da!”_

_“Close enough.” Darren says and claps at his girl. He smothers her face in kisses causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles._

That was a day Chris would never forget. Elliette was very smart early on so as soon as she started to say and understand full sentences, they would teach her the alphabet, colors, numbers, animals, and even some brain games that she was seemingly good at.

There were so many fun memories with Elliette as she grew up. Taking her first steps, saying her first word, being a firecracker and just running all over the place naked after her bath time, or even on her first day of school.

_Chris was seven months pregnant with his son when Elliette started preschool._

_It was the day of Labor Day, Elliette was in a navy blue and pink striped dress with brown sandals and had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, topped with a cute pink bow. She had her light blue backpack which was bigger than her on her back and her Little Mermaid lunchbox in her hand._

_Chris and Darren walked with her into the school and found her classroom._

_There were so many kids with their parents as they got accustomed to the new normal for them._

_“Hello, you must be Chris and Darren. Elliette’s parents correct?” A young woman asks._

_“Yes. I’m Chris and this is my husband Darren.”_

_“Nice to meet you. I’m Miss Elena, I’ll be Elliette’s teacher this year. You must be Elliette then?” She asks, crouching down to their daughter’s level._

_“Yes!” She smiles. “I’m Elliette Criss!”_

_“Well I love your enthusiasm Miss Elliette. Do you think you can go find your cubby and put your things away then we’ll get you settled at one of the tables?”_

_“Yes.” Elliette nods her head and pulls Darren’s hand as she goes off while Chris is left with her teacher._

_“Does she seem too excited to be here? Is that normal?” Chris asks._

_“It’s perfectly normal. Everyone’s different and Elliette probably adapts well to new environments. Don’t worry though, she’s in good hands.” She tells him. “Oh and congratulations by the way.” She adds and nods towards his large belly._

_“Oh thank you. Do you have any little ones?”_

_“Not yet. My fiance and I are waiting until he’s done getting his masters to settle and start a family.”_

_“That’s good though. Elliette was a surprise but we love her just the same and this little one was planned but she’s so excited to be a big sister to her brother.”_

_“Aww. She seems like such a sweetheart, I’m so glad I have her in my class this year.”_

_Chris smiles at her comment and sees his husband come back with their daughter._

_“Okay Miss Elliette, you can go sit at any table you’d like and color why I help get the other students settled in.” Her teacher says. “It was very nice to meet you both” She adds, shaking both Chris and Darren’s hands._

_“Likewise.” Darren says as she walks off. “Alright munchkin, mommy and I have to go but one of us will be back later to pick you up.”_

_“Okay daddy.” She says._

_He crouches down and gives her a hug. “I love you, bug.”_

_“I love you too. Bye mommy.” She hugs around Chris’ legs since his belly was in the way._

_“Bye sweetheart. Have a great first day, I love you.”_

_“I love you too.” She says._

_Chris kisses the top of her head and they watch her make herself comfortable at one of the tables before they leave her classroom and go back home._

She was getting smarter and more beautiful everyday.

They had some sad memories like when she broke her arm after she fell off the monkey bars at school or even her very first broken heart. Chris was there through it all and never left her side. There were also some really great ones that he’ll cherish forever.

**-Next Morning-**

The next morning, the five of them all loaded into the car early and drove five hours to move Ellie into her dorm. Chris is still emotional but knows this is a good thing for her.

She met her roommate who was already all moved in. They helped each other set up along with her brothers. But once the room was done, they all knew it meant it was time to say goodbye.

Chris was already crying as he hugged his daughter, squeezing her close to his body.

“I love you, so much baby girl. If you need me you call me and I’ll be here in no time, okay?”

“Okay mom.” Elliette says, sniffling. She too was crying but not as much as her mother.

“Bye daddy.”

“Bye baby.” Darren says, hugging her as well. “Have fun while you’re here okay? But not too much fun.”

“I know dad.” She laughs and kisses his cheek. “Make sure mom’s okay, for me?”

“I will sweetheart. It’s just a hard time for him.”

“I know.” She nods and hugs him again before letting go. “Well I’ll see you guys soon. Let me know when you get home please?”

“We will, honey.” Chris says giving her one more kiss on the cheek. “Bye.”

“Bye guys.” She waves as they walk out of her dorm.

When they get back home, Chris cries to his husband and Darren tries to calm him down but knew this was tough for him because their baby isn’t home anymore and is out in the real world.

Later that night while they were in bed, Elliette calls Chris to tell him all about what she and her roommate did, he’s so happy for her and misses her so much.

They talked for about an hour and Chris was so glad she called because he already missed her voice.

“-You should be heading to bed, El. It’s getting late.” He tells her as he stifles a yawn.

“I know. I just wanted to call you. I miss you already.”

“I miss you too honey.”

“Yeah.” She says softly. “Well mom, I know you’re sad that I’m not home anymore but I want you to know that no matter how far I go in life, I know you’re always gonna be with me and support me.”

“I will baby, I always will.”

“I know.” Elliette says and yawns. “I’m gonna go to bed. I’m getting tired.”

“Okay sweet girl. Thanks for calling.”

“No problem. Give dad a kiss goodnight for me.”

“I will. Sleep well, I love you.”

“I love you too. Bye mommy.”

“Bye babe.”

Chris hangs up and sets his phone aside then turns to his side, cuddling with his husband. His mind was at ease knowing his daughter was gonna be okay and that he could do this.


End file.
